455 



under the same conditions. The two are often present together, 

 however, and tlic same conditions of moisture and low temperature 

 are favourable to both. Grubs attacked by bacterial disease readily 

 succumb to the fungus. It would certainly seem worth while to 

 inoculate the soil of all grub-infested land with the fungus. The 

 inoculation of unin tested land is not advocated, for the fungus probably 

 depends upon grubs and other insects in the field for its sustenance. 

 Inoculation may be made by removing a shovelful of earth and drop- 

 ping in a pinch of spore-laden soil, at least once in each chain of the 

 field. When afield is ploughed a small quantity of inoculating soil 

 could be dropped at about every tenth row in the furrows. 



It is suggested that investigation might be made regarding two 

 sj)ecies of grub-destroying bacteria that occur in Java, and others that 

 arc known in the Philippine Islands and elsewhere, with a view to 

 their introduction into Queensland. 



Illingworth (J. F.). The Cane Grub. — Queensland Agric. JL, 

 Brisbane, xv, pt. 6, June 1921, pp. 28a-281. 



A sugar-cane pest, reported as Rhahdocnonis obscura, Boisd., in May 

 1921, proved to be Phragmatiphila truncata, Walk., a native moth 

 borer, which is usually checked by the Hymenopterous parasites 

 ApanteJes nonagriae, Olliff, and Eupledrus howardi, Olliff. Artificial 

 control measures were not advisable, as the pest was only seen in old 

 standover canes, and was doing little damage. 



In sandy-loam fields near the river, Mastotermes darwiniensis , 

 Froggatt, was found, but it is fortunateh^ not wideb/ distributed. 

 It removes the pithy contents of long sticks from top to bottom, 

 leaving only the rind , which supports the green leaves. It is a notorious 

 devastator in the Northern Territory, where no cane can be grown, 

 and even large trees are hollowed out and ring-barked. 



In some districts, ibises {Carphibis spinicollis, Reich., and Ibis 

 molucca, Cuvier) and crows [Corvus australis) followed the ploughs 

 and destroyed grubs and earth-worms. The ibises breed in great 

 colonies near the mouth of the Haughton River, thus accounting for 

 the scarcity of grubs in these districts. Unfortunately, in the Cairns 

 district they are absent from February to June, when they would be 

 of great service, and the crows do not occur at all. 



MoRSTATT (H.). Ueber einige Ergebnisse der Termitenforschung. 



[Some Results of Research on Termites.] — Reprint from Biol. 

 Zentralblatt [sine loco], xl, no. 8-9, 1st August 1920, pp. 415-427. 



The observations here described were chiefly made in East Africa. 



It appears that the larger termites, Termes goliath, T. bellicosus, 

 and T. {Odontoterrnes) badius, normally feed on wood that is almost dry, 

 though a little moisture (even dew may suffice) must be available. 

 Attacks on fresh, growing wood also, causing serious injury in planta- 

 tions, chiefly to bark and sapwood, have been observed in the case of 

 T. bellicosus, T. badius, T. natalensis, and Acantholermes militaris. 

 The reason for these attacks is unknown, perhaps they are connected 

 with severe droughts. 



Termites often attack young cuttings, the infestation beginning at 

 the cut surface ; and on one occasion banana leaves lying on the 

 ground were found to have been eaten by the wood-destroying Acantho- 

 lermes spiniger during the night. 



